Nevolat

What is Nevolat

Nevolat is a weight loss injection known as a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) once daily and contains the active ingredient liraglutide, which is also found in the now-discontinued brand Saxenda. The treatment is marketed by Zentiva and should be taken as part of an active lifestyle.

Nevolat weight loss injections are administered using a pre-filled pen. They can be taken with or without food, although you may want to use the medication after a light meal to minimise the risk of side effects, such as nausea.

How Does Nevolat Work?

Once in your system, Nevolat (liraglutide) mimics the GLP-1 hormone that is naturally released after a meal to signal when you are full. This effect reduces hunger pangs and makes patients feel more satisfied, leading to reduced food intake and eventual weight loss.

Liraglutide weight loss can also be achieved in other ways, such as:

• Increasing the time taken for food to leave the stomach, leaving you feeling full for longer
• Boosting the release of insulin to control blood glucose levels

Liraglutide reaches its highest concentration around 11 hours after injection and has a half-life of approximately 13 hours, meaning the amount of it in your body reduces by about half during this time. This explains why Nevolat injections are administered daily rather than once weekly, as with Mounjaro and Wegovy.

How Long Does Nevolat Take to Work?

Nevolat injections work almost immediately, with users noticing a reduction in appetite from day one. One clinical trial found that after 4 weeks of dose escalation and a further 16 weeks at the 3 mg maintenance dose, patients receiving liraglutide lost around 7.2kg of body weight. This also compared favourably to individuals using orlistat, who achieved a weight loss of 4.1kg over the same period.

Nevolat Weight Loss Results

Clinical trials show Nevolat's active ingredient, liraglutide, supports significant weight loss when combined with diet and exercise. Liraglutide weight loss can be around 8% of patients' body weight when taken over a 56-week period, compared with 2.6% with placebo. The medication has the most impact when the highest maintenance dose is reached.

A separate trial followed patients who had already lost weight through a low-calorie diet before starting treatment. After a further 56 weeks, those taking Nevolat lost an additional 6.3% of their body weight on average, compared with just 0.2% on placebo. They were also far more likely to keep off the weight they'd already lost; 81% managed this on Nevolat, compared with 49% on placebo.

A study involving patients with sleep apnoea found that Nevolat led to an average weight loss of 5.7% over 32 weeks, against 1.6% on placebo, with nearly half of patients (46%) losing at least 5% of their body weight.

How to Use Nevolat Weight Loss Injections

Nevolat can be administered around the abdomen, the front of your thighs, or the upper arm. It's recommended that you use the medication at the same time of day, regularly rotating injection sites to avoid irritation. While it's possible to inject liraglutide in the same location (e.g. stomach), this should be done at a different spot each time.

There are several important steps to take when administering Nevolat injections. These are:

Step One: Preparing the Pen

• Check the label to ensure it's the correct medication
• Remove the pen cap
• Examine the solution through the window
• Take a new needle and remove the paper tab
• Attach the needle securely by pushing it straight onto the pen and turning right
• Remove the outer needle cap. You'll need this later
• Pull off the inner needle cap and throw it away

Step Two: Checking the Flow (with each new needle before injecting)

• Turn the dose selector to the 'flow check' symbol, ensuring it lines up with the pointer
• Hold the pen with the needle pointing up
• Press and hold down the dose button until the counter returns to 0. A drop of solution should appear on the tip
• If this doesn't happen, you can repeat the process above up to 6 times. Should you still not see any solution, change the needle and repeat the check once more, then dispose of the pen and use a new one if a drop still does not appear.

Step Three: Selecting Your Dose

• Turn the dose selector until it displays the correct dose

Step Four: Injecting the Medication

• Insert the needle into your chosen injection site, ensuring you can see the dose counter at all times
• Press and hold the dose button until the counter shows 0. You may also hear a clicking noise
• With the counter at 0, continue holding the dose button and count slowly to 6
• Remove the needle and release the dose button. There may be a drop of solution visible, though this will not have affected your dose
• If you notice a drop of blood on the injection site, dab it with a clean swab
• Place the needle tip into the outer cap without touching either object.
• Once covered and secure, unscrew the needle and dispose of it carefully

More instructions for using Nevolat weight loss injections are available in the Patient Information Leaflet.

Nevolat Dosage Information

The starting dose of Nevolat (liraglutide) is 0.6 mg. This will increase gradually in 0.6 mg increments each week, so your body can get used to the medication. You must never take more than the stated dose, as it can cause problems down the line, such as more severe side effects.

Your Nevolat injections should be administered as follows:

It's recommended that you stick to the Nevolat dosage schedule above to make the most of its weight-loss potential. If you feel this isn't possible, for whatever reason, you should speak to a specialist clinician.

How Long Does a Nevolat Pen Last?

Exactly how long a Nevolat pen lasts depends on the dosage strength you are taking and the titration schedule. Each pre-filled injection pen contains 18 mg of liraglutide, so you will continue using the same one until it runs out or there is no solution left to cover your next dose.

If you're starting from the very beginning, the lifespan of your injection pens will be as follows:

From Day 38 onwards, assuming the Nevolat dosing schedule has been followed completely, each injection pen will last for 6 days at the maximum maintenance dose of 3 mg per day. This effectively means that you'll need five pens to cover every 30-day month.

What if I Miss a Dose of Nevolat?

If you forget to administer your Nevolat weight loss injection at the correct time, you should do the following, depending on how quickly you realise:

• Within 12 hours: As soon as you remember
• More than 12 hours: At the usual time on the following day

You should never double or increase the dose the following day to make up for the one you missed. If you find you are consistently missing doses, speak to your prescriber for further guidance.

What If I Take Too Much Nevolat?

Taking more than your prescribed dose increases the risk of side effects. Overdoses of up to 72 mg (24 times the recommended dose) have been reported and can cause:

• Severe nausea
• Severe vomiting
• Severe low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)

If you think you've taken too much, contact your doctor or call NHS 111 for advice. In an emergency, call 999 or go to A&E. You may need monitoring for dehydration and for your blood sugar levels to be checked.

Nevolat Side Effects and Cautions

Like all medicines, Nevolat can cause side effects, and it isn't suitable for everyone. Below you'll find what to expect, how to manage side effects, and who should avoid this treatment.

Side Effects of Nevolat Injections

As with most prescription weight loss medications, Nevolat can cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them. Known issues with liraglutide include:

It's important to note that the above is not an exhaustive list. A more detailed explanation of potential Nevolat side effects is available in the Patient Information Leaflet. You can also find out more about potential adverse reactions in our dedicated guide.

Any Nevolat side effects that you do experience can also be reported via the MHRA's Yellow Card Scheme.

How Long Do Side Effects Last?

The most common Nevolat side effects will resolve within a few days to a few weeks as your body adjusts to the treatment or your dosage increases. Once you settle on your maintenance dose, you should find they ease significantly. If difficulties persist, it's important to consult your clinician as the medication may not be right for you.

Some of the more mild side effects can be treated with over-the-counter treatments such as painkillers, under the guidance of a pharmacist or clinician. Should you feel nauseous or vomit, get plenty of rest, hydrate, and eat light foods.

Serious Side Effects of Nevolat

Most side effects of Nevolat are mild, but a small number of people experience something more serious. Stop using Nevolat and contact a doctor immediately if you notice:

• Severe, persistent pain in your stomach area, which may spread through to your back and may come with nausea or vomiting. This can be a sign of an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis), an uncommon but serious side effect
• Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), such as breathing problems, swelling of the face or throat, and a fast heartbeat. This is rare but requires urgent medical attention
• Severe pain in your upper abdomen, usually worst on the right side under your ribs. The pain may spread to your back or right shoulder, and could indicate gallstones or an inflamed gallbladder.

If you're experiencing serious reactions such as breathing problems, rapid heartbeat, severe nausea/vomiting, or swelling of the face or throat, you should stop using the treatment immediately and call 999 or visit A&E.

Who Can Take Nevolat?

As a prescription-only medication, Nevolat is only suitable for individuals who have struggled to reach their weight loss goals using diet and exercise alone. The following criteria must also be satisfied:

• A body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or more, or
• BMI of at least 27 kg/m² with weight-related health conditions such as diabetes or high cholesterol

To be approved for Nevolat injections, you'll need to complete a weight loss consultation that will determine whether the treatment is right for your circumstances.

Who Shouldn't Take Nevolat?

It's important to note that Nevolat (and liraglutide in general) may not be suitable for everyone, depending on their circumstances or health conditions. You might not be able to take this medication if the following applies:

If you do find that Nevolat isn't suitable for you, a clinician may be able to recommend an alternative weight loss treatment to help you reach your goals.

Nevolat Injections and Other Medicines

Nevolat can interact with a small number of other medicines. Always tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse about anything else you're taking before starting treatment.

• Warfarin and other blood-thinning medicines (anticoagulants): this hasn't been formally studied with Nevolat, but as a precaution, you'll need more frequent blood tests to check how well your blood is clotting when you start treatment.
• Diabetes medicines, such as insulin or sulfonylureas (e.g. glimepiride, glibenclamide): using these alongside Nevolat can increase your risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Your doctor may need to adjust your dose and ask you to monitor your blood sugar more closely.
• Other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines (such as exenatide or lixisenatide): Nevolat should not be used alongside these.

Nevolat can also slightly slow down how quickly your stomach empties, which may affect how fast some other oral medicines are absorbed. Studies haven't found this to cause any significant issues.

Where to Buy Nevolat

You can buy Nevolat injections from a variety of sources, including specialist weight management services or a regulated, reputable company such as Prescription Doctor.

Can I Buy Nevolat Online?

Yes, it's possible to buy Nevolat online directly from Prescription Doctor, using our simple and discreet service. Our straightforward process is:

1. Start an online consultation and fill in our health questionnaire
2. One of our doctors will review your information and decide on suitability
3. If approved, you could (provided certain requirements are met) receive your medication the very next day in plain packaging

Can I Buy Nevolat Over the Counter?

No, because liraglutide is a prescription-only medication, it's not possible to buy Nevolat over the counter. You'll therefore need to speak to a doctor beforehand or complete an online consultation to assess suitability. However, there are alternative treatments, such as alli, that can be obtained without a prescription.

Can I Get Nevolat on the NHS?

Yes, you can get Nevolat on the NHS. To be eligible, you must meet certain criteria and be referred by a GP to a specialist weight loss management service. This will most likely require a face-to-face consultation and could take some time to arrange.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nevolat Injections